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Commissioner Abrams to Testify Before Ways and Means on China and the WTO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2000

Contact:Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240

WHAT:The Hon. Elliott Abrams, member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and a former Assistant Secretary of State, will testify before the House Ways and Means Committee during a hearing on China's accession to the World Trade Organization.

WHEN:Wednesday, May 3, 2000 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:Room 1100, Longworth House Office Building

BACKGROUND:Commissioner Abrams will testify two days after the release of the Commission's annual report, in which the Commission recommended that "Congress should grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status only after China makes substantial improvement in respect for religious freedom." Mr. Abrams will identify the standards (actions) by which the Commission believes "substantial improvement in religious freedom" should be measured.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress."